Blog Post #3 - Tyler Kitching

 The two examples of media that exemplify the third articulation of media assemblage are drastically different. The third articulation of media assemblage questions how a specific medium spreads throughout society. For a medium to effectively circulate a message, consumers must share the message with other consumers. The technological advancements of the 21st century have allowed mediums to share a message with millions digitally. Before internet technologies, for a message to go viral, the medium would have to be purchased by a consumer and physically shared by that individual. An example of media that was virally shared in the non-digital age is Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. This 500-year-old text was written by Martin Luther, to inform the European masses about his concerns with the church. Martin’s Theses were credited for beginning the European Protestant Revolution of the 16th century. Luther produced purchasable pamphlets that were available in Latin and German. However, readers would redistribute copies of these pamphlets to their peers. As a result, “The Ninety-Five Theses spread with astonishing speed throughout the German-speaking lands” (Standage, 2014, pg.53). The virality of Luther’s pamphlets introduced the societal impacts that a medium can have when it is heavily circulated. The cultural significance of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses that remains prevalent today exemplifies the importance of media circulation. The Theses just had its 500th anniversary that was celebrated by cultures around the world. Regardless of the time and location of where the Theses were written, it remains culturally relevant to this day. Internet technologies have made the process of sharing information with others effortless. Memes are arguably the most popular form of media on the internet. Every day new memes are created and circulated on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. This form of comedic media has become an integral part of the internet that almost all users utilize. Memes that become mainstream are recognizable to millions of internet users from around the world. A meme that has become increasingly popular in recent years has been “Woman Yelling at A Cat”. This meme consists of a picture of a woman from The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills placed beside an uncomfortable cat sitting at a dinner table. These two images separately are not significant, but together, the image depicts a scenario in which the lady is screaming at the discomforted cat. The meme represents the relatable discomfort that comes with being yelled at by another person. The comedic value of a meme is determined by its relatability. Using the example of the Woman Yelling at A Cat meme, people who relate to the depicted scenario will share the image with their friends in hopes that they relate to it as well. The message of a meme is useless unless it's circulated within a community of people. Internet memes allow people to share funny messages online to create a sense of community. Many argue that the digital permanence of internet media allows digital media to have more longevity than traditional media. However, memes somewhat counter-act this argument as memes have very short life-spans are quickly forgotten. A humorous internet meme may not be as significant as the message of Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses. However, the two mediums are both reliant on ‘going viral’ to have cultural significance, regardless of time or location.